New Jersey Hunting Articles

Tools of the TradeWhile working in what my wife calls the "sporting goods department", but I call a garage, I received a phone call the other day. "He’s out playing with his toys, hang on" I over heard her say, as a bodiless hand thrust the phone at me through the cracked door. Muffling the receiver I yelled in pointless defense, "This is gear. Toys are for children."

Beginner's Guide to Big Game Handgun HuntingIf you desire to hunt with a handgun, without doubt, you need to do your homework. Many hunters who carry a
rifle are not comfortable shooting with a handgun. Indeed, there are many reasons why one should hunt with a rifle
but once mastered, a change of venue may be just what you are looking for. That's not to say hunting with a rifle
is a cakewalk, it can be very challenging and in the favor of the game sought. When you pick up a handgun and
decide to hunt big game, the bar is placed even higher.

The Rut TrapWhitetails have extraordinary eyesight. Their ability to hear the subtle snap of a twig is uncanny, and their sense of smell is remarkably acute. Simply put, whitetailed deer are the perfect forest dweller. Throughout most of the year, their ability to elude danger is impeccable. With this reputation, they are the perfect big game species.

What Trophy Should Really MeanWhen we hunt we must work hard, we obey the law, we are ethical, and we are reverent. Every animal taken - young or old, buck or doe - is a "trophy". They are gifts of the land.

Big Game Rifle Selection from a Female PerspectiveMany years ago when I said I would marry Dan, I had no idea that our life together would turn me into the passionate hunter and shooting enthusiast I have become. Hunting, while a central preoccupation to him, was something I had never done before or been exposed to. So he was surprised when I jokingly notified him one fall day I would accompany him and his friends on a deer hunt and required a rifle, gear, and some instruction.

Hunting Knife BasicsAs an experienced hunter, it is always easy for me to spot the newest member of the hunting group who usually has very little experience in the woods. They almost always show up wearing a knife modeled after their favorite action movie star, and, unlike the movies, our new hunter has to live with his or her knife selection for the duration of the hunt.

An Introduction to Trail CamerasYou've seen his tracks and they're huge! Nearby scrapes and rubs suggest he could be a monster buck. Now it's decision time. Which stand do you sit? If only you could lay eyes on him, or better yet, figure out when he uses that particular trail . . . you'd have it made!

Preventing Tick-Borne DiseasesMost of us have encountered ticks on our wilderness treks and, like mosquitoes, give them little pause for thought. Very few of us seriously consider the little pests to be much of a threat, usually we just pull the tick off and continue on our way, not realizing the potential danger the tick may present. A simple tick can carry a variety of diseases, all of which can, at the least, make you very sick and in the most serious cases even cripple or kill.

A Field Dressing Guide for Elk and DeerField dressing game is as much a part of the hunt as target practice and scouting. Unfortunately, correctly field dressing game can be challenging and awkward for the inexperienced. If you have never cleaned out game in the field or have had trouble in the past this feature article walks you through how to field dress, debone, and pack out your next deer or elk kill.

Black Bear Hunting PrimerStalking trophy black bears is one of the most challenging and intimidating pursuits in North American hunting, especially with a primitive weapon. Doing this when the autumn landscape is shrouded under a bounty of radiant tincture – the air thick with fall’s aromatic pleasures – is the biggest kick of all.

Whitetail, Finesse 'em or Force 'emWhen hunting whitetail afield a common strategy is to use noise to attract in a buck. Most hunters agree that anything from rattling antlers to grunting calls will work. However there is a considerable amount of debate on what intensity should be used when creating these sounds. Some have success with ear-splitting, aggressive bellows while others adamantly believe the only way to go is with gentle grunts. This month's article discusses how much noise you should make the next time you're closing the gap on a trophy buck.

Fall Black Bear BasicsMany big game hunters have hunted the cervids (deer and elk). However fewer have gone after another big game species that inhabits the same areas: black bear. Black bear hunting takes a different set of skills than elk or deer hunting and with many states banning the use of bait/hounds, the challenge of black bear has only grown. This feature article walks you through the basics of black bear hunting from "spot/stalk" to the use of predator calls. Safety is also covered, since precautions are necessary when hunting a predator!

Hunting Cartoons

Here is an inexpenive and effective deer feeder I made recently.
No batteries to go dead, no hoisting it up in the tree, plenty of capacity, very easy to fill - so far, I love it.
I have made two of these and they are easy to build.
An empty 55 gallon drum, some 2x4's, some PVC tubing and fittings, a little bit of hardware and some paint - and you are ready to go.
I designed it so you can stand on the lower rung and fill it - the top is about 6.5 feet above the ground.
It holds about 375...